If you are considering doing business in China or with Chinese, you cannot disregard China Business Taboos. This article provides a deep insight into As a foreign business person, don’t forget the famous concept of face, gift giving, table manners, respect for hierarchy and other important Chinese cultural insights. Last couple of weeks, social media in …

If you are considering doing business in China or with Chinese, you cannot disregard China Business Taboos. This article provides a deep insight into

“Every business major would tell you that cultural sensitivity is International Business 101. No company, no matter how prestigious, is an exception to the fact that a lack of class and respect leads to a negative image, and ultimately distrust.

As a foreign business person, don’t forget the famous concept of face, gift giving, table manners, respect for hierarchy and other important Chinese cultural insights.

Last couple of weeks, social media in China (and the world) was filled with heat regarding Dolce & Gabbana’s public disgrace due to an insensitive advertisement, followed by a racist rant from the company’s founder himself in a private chat. The consequences of the event had more impact than just a few angry customers and led to the cancellation of the “Great Show” that was planned in Shanghai just hours later. By now, retailers’ shelves have been cleared of the brand’s products, with industry experts saying it may take years before the brand will be able to regain the consumer’s trust and respect again.

Every business major would tell you that cultural sensitivity is International Business 101. No company, no matter how prestigious, is an exception to the fact that a lack of class and respect leads to a negative image, and ultimately distrust. China Interns and students learning Chinese should also be eager to learn more about these very important cultural aspects

Approaching any country with the idea of doing business in mind, should be done with respect and humility. Forgetting such core values or disregarding cultural sensitivity when implementing ads and campaigns in other countries could lead to huge errors. So huge that they could be the decisive moments for foreign companies’ future in China.

D&G are not the first to have learned this lesson the hard way. There have been many instances of foreign companies or businesses not being aware of cultural taboos (or not caring), ultimately leading to their downfall in the nation.

There are many misconceptions about Chinese people and culture in the West, deriving from either ignorance or arrogance.

Some seemingly benign views or ideas in the West could be seen as very offensive or of poor taste in China. There are elements of the Chinese way of life that foreign companies need to keep in mind if a long-term relationship is desired. Below are three important key points, with examples of companies learning them the hard way and these lessons are not only for Corporations but also for foreigners living in China

Politics

Commenting on domestic political issues is strictly a bad idea, and could get the company boycotted. While expressing political views regarding sensitive topics seems to be “just” in Western cultures, in China, there is no place for it. Earlier this year, Mercedes-Benz landed itself in hot water after quoting the Dalai Lama on its Instagram account, immediately angering Chinese citizens, and indirectly drawing criticism on political affairs.

In response, President Xi Jinping clarified China’s intolerance of the international community interfering in its domestic affairs or challenging core interests.

Culture

Making fun of cultural aspects (even if seemingly humorous in outsider’s eyes) is simply not perceived that way in China. Many Swedish brands, including IKEA, H&M, and Volvo, were all boycotted for some time after an incident involving a Chinese family’s dispute with a Swedish hotel and later the local police enforcement.

The incident was later reported and made fun of (somewhat aggressively) in a popular Swedish satirical news show. That segment from the show quickly made it online, and spread around China, causing massive outrage, and leading the Chinese government to demand an official apology for the mistreatment and ridicule of its citizens abroad.

China is Crucial for Business

Most importantly, forgetting that it is those companies themselves who are in a sense dependent on China, and seek to expand more into the country. China is host to some of the biggest names in every imaginable industry, with each of them seeking to expand further into the country to maximize profits.

The fact of the matter is, Chinese consumers are the most valuable worldwide, for almost any brand and business, making it clear who has the upper-hand, and the “final-say” in such matters. This does not mean companies need to “suck up” to anyone, but it does mean that keeping such issues in mind could go a long way in securing solid long-term relationships with China (or any country).

Besides being wary of these potentially harmful courses of action, it is also recommended to be aware of other common differences between China and the West.

There are many factors imbedded deep in the Chinese culture, that may seem obvious and straightforward, but may go deeper than meets the eye, and can sometimes go undetected or ignored.

General Taboos

The concept of “face” for example, is absolutely essential in understanding where many sensitivities come from, and is directly related to the three key points discussed above. Under no circumstance should another party cause the individual to lose face. This basically means avoiding open conflict, direct criticism and confrontation, or any form of embarrassment. Paying attention to non-verbal cues and indirect forms of communication is hard to learn, but is also a must.

Relationships in China, especially business ones, are intended to be long-standing, and therefore requires constant effort in maintaining them, and practicing the core values mentioned earlier, such as tolerance, patience, and ultimately – respect.

Ignoring some of these elements with the purpose of just securing a quick one-time interaction/transaction, will end up backfiring. If one is not ready to put business aside and participate in frequent social gatherings, he or she is unlikely to succeed. Building trust and respect takes time and effort.

There are practically dozens more areas where seemingly trivial things, such as gift exchanges, punctuality, and even small-talk, have their own specific set of rules that should be learned. It is up to the interested parties to be as prepared as possible.

As China now is more exposed and used to Western culture, forgetting minor things such as giving name-cards with two hands, or making a toast before sipping from a drink at dinner, can go unnoticed, and are not a big deal most of the time. Intentionally setting out to ridicule and belittle elements of the culture, however, is a different story, and often times is unforgivable.

Of course, China itself does not have a perfectly clean record regarding the subject matter. But sensitivity is an issue which needs to be encouraged, and not overlooked. Setting a good example is the only way to elevate the type of cultural awareness we all desire, and to minimize potentially offensive situations such as this.

As many College students and Graduates consider an internship in Shanghai as a project leading them into the heart of China, there is increasing demand for reviews and stories. At CIP, we are committed to making available independent and real reviews to help applicants understand what to expect. Internship in China is a great Experience, …

As many College students and Graduates consider an internship in Shanghai as a project leading them into the heart of China, there is increasing demand for reviews and stories. At CIP, we are committed to making available independent and real reviews to help applicants understand what to expect. Internship in China is a great Experience, sit back and enjoy

Now, we will be talking to Cassandra who comes from the Wittenberg University, Ohio in the United States. She enrolled in the Creative Marketing Internship in China and had a perfect time. Now she wants to talk about her trip to China.

Highlight- I am actually coming back to Shanghai– to this company, who actually offered me a full time position . I’m very, very excited about the opportunity to come back to Shanghai and actually work in China. I never thought this would come out of the program but it did and I am thrilled about it.

Hi! Can you tell me your name, give a short introduction?

I’m Kassandra, I’m 21 years old, and I currently live in Ohio. I have never left the United States so traveling this far was a big deal for me, but I loved every second of it

And how far along with your internship in shanghai are you?

I still have one-quarter of my internship left to go. I am sad that it is almost over, but I will be enjoying the remainder of the program. Its been a great exposure.

What did you think about the admission process and interview preparation for the internship?

CIP has a very comprehensive admission and selection system, and I am not surprised at the quality of other interns I met so far. The CIP placement team prepared me for the interview through a short coaching segment. My interview process was pretty quick. My CV was reviewed, and they asked me about my interests and also what work experience I’ve had in the past. It was a pretty standard interview, and it went very quickly and easy. It was a nice start of the entire process.

Which professional and personal skills do you feel like you’ve gained so far?

I feel like professionally I’ve learned so much about the Chinese market, which is very handy and hands-on knowledge to have. And I feel like I’ve grown a lot—this experience has given me lot of opportunities to self-reflect and learn things about myself I could have never learned back in Ohio.

Can you name some specific examples of professional and personal skills you acquired?

Some skills I’ve picked up on here have been working with people, especially working with people from other cultures and understanding their different points of view. I also feel like another main skill I’ve learned is organization and planning—and I think that this is a skill that will come in handy at any other job. I worked with a life-style company as a branding and marketing intern. It is knowing that this is one of the fastest developing industries with tremendous prospects is reassuring. I learnt about events Management, Networking at the professional level, product development and other insigts about the Chinese Market.

How did you find out about CIP?

I was doing a lot of research on different internship programs because I want to do an internship in Shangai, and I came across CIP. Then I compared it to other internship programs, I looked at the costs, what people liked about it and the reviews it had. Out of all the programs, the CIP program seemed to have the highest rated reviews and generally be the best internship Abroad program. The CIP program also aimed to help people professionally with mentors being present throughout the entire process to help you. This really spoke to me and made me want to sign up with the CIP program.

Did you find the program expensive, and if you did, why did you chose the CIP program anyway?

I believe cost should be evaluated based on quality and program content. On first instance, I did feel the program was expensive, but I also have to realize that it’s given me an opportunity that I can’t have anywhere else. The CIP program placed me in such a great working environment that has also offered me a job in the future- This means I will be back to China to work after graduation. I think if I had gone with other programs, I would never have had the experience I had with CIP. So even though it cost me, I would definitely say that it was worth the price.

Kassandra on a trip to Nanjing during the Summer

Did you feel like CIP had your back and that they made the process easy for you?

Definitely, I feel like CIP has been there and that it had my back. I had a few issues with my apartment, specifically, but I contacted CIP and they got a room service team to come to fix the issue and it was fixed in less than a day. That is great work. Which means, you can count on them such that even though there was an issue they fixed it immediately and it is great to know that there is always an organization present to solve any issue you might have. This really gives you the opportunity to focus on the internship knowing you are safe.

What would you say to your past self who is unsure about joining the program? Do you think you made the right choice in joining?

So if I could speak to my past self, like before I started this program and when I was in the process of applying, I would definitely tell myself to go for it . I’ve learned so much from this program that I wouldn’t have learned anywhere else. I am so happy that I chose this program and I am glad that I didn’t pick any other program.

Memories During Her Internship in Shanghai

What are some of your favourite memories you made during your internship in Shanghai?

I will name a couple of my favourite memories. The first will be meeting so many different people from different places, my roommates from the Netherlands, Thailand, Vietnam ,and UK were really great feeling, and it was very cool to live with so many people from different cultures. I feel like meeting so many people was definitely a highlight. My second favourite memory has actually been working at my company. Then there was the networking, we had a lot of networking opportunities such as going to high clubs and going for free. There was a lot of working but also a lot of playing at the same time. This combination made the internship in Shangai a lot of fun.

What advice would you give to someone else who is unsure about joining?

I would definitely say, “join the program”. However maybe look into a set of different tour opportunities and try to be a little more self-reliant. I realized that whiles all those opportunities were really great , I don’t regret paying for it or anything like that, I did learn a lot about myself being more independent than I thought and that I could probably could have easily done a lot of these things by myself. So I would tell them that they should definitely look into the program but that they should also check what things they want to by yourself without a program

And what are you planning to do now the program is almost over?

My plans for the future are that I still I have a couple of weeks in this Shanghai internship and when I return home, I will finish my last year in the university and when I graduate, I am actually coming back to Shanghai– to this company, who actually offered me a full-time position. I’m very, very excited about the opportunity to come back to Shanghai and actually work in China. I never thought this would come out of the program but it did and I am thrilled about it.

Have you ever thought about planning the trip of your lifetime, and traveling to Shanghai for a period of time so you can learn Chinese? If you’ve never considered this, then now is the time to think about it, as there is no better place to study Chinese than in Shanghai. Learning Chinese should always …

Have you ever thought about planning the trip of your lifetime, and traveling to Shanghai for a period of time so you can learn Chinese? If you’ve never considered this, then now is the time to think about it, as there is no better place to study Chinese than in Shanghai.

Learning Chinese should always be done in China itself, when possible at least, but best of all taking Chinese language courses in Shanghai is an amazing choice within China for reasons that we’ll discuss. So, let’s figure out how you’re going to follow intensive Chinese classes in Shanghai

Why You Should Learn Chinese in China

The Native Practice

The very first, and the obvious reason is that you’ll be able to continuously practice your Chinese while you’re staying in China. When you’re in your home country where people don’t speak Chinese, you’ll much sooner forget all the things you learned during your Chinese classes. When you’re in China, every moment you spend outside is a moment you get to practice what you learned during the classes, so you’ll learn Chinese in China a lot faster.

You will Experience the Culture

On top of this comes the fact that you’ll also get to learn more about Chinese culture. This is essential when you want to understand the language. A culture and its language are always intertwined, so learning more about one will help you understand the other. When you get a chance to learn more about Chinese culture, you’ll also automatically be better capable of learning how to speak Chinese.

It’s a Good Employment Opportunity

Visiting China, and possibly even living there for up to a year, is something that will appear very impressive on your resume. Understanding a different culture is something that is appreciated by almost all employees. Especially China is a good country to include in your resume, as the economy of China is booming, and a lot of business is being done with China.

You will Meet Lots of Challenges

Something that applies to living temporarily in any different culture is that it will broaden your horizon and help you grow as a person. Being all by yourself in a strange culture is challenging, but it will help you be more open-minded and dare do more in the future. Meeting various challenges will make you more competitive and open to new opportunities. This will be a good self-exploration period for you.

You will be in an International Environment

Even though you’re a stranger in China, you’re sure not to be the only international student, especially in a modern city like Shanghai. This means you’ll be able to meet people from various cultures and learn more about these cultures as well.

Why Take a Chinese Course in Shanghai

So, you sort of understand why China should be where you need to be if you want to learn Chinese, but why should you go to Shanghai? There are plenty of other big cities in China. Well, I’ve got the reasons for you- why learn Chinese in Shanghai.

Shanghai is Dynamic

Shanghai is a dynamic city that has the best of both worlds when it comes to a combination of modern and ancient history. Things are changing all the time in this beautiful city. You probably won’t find a single city in China that is more modern than Shanghai. This can be seen perfectly when you go skyscraper-spotting. One of the best examples is the Shanghai Tower – the second tallest building in the world (632 meters).

Shanghai is Modern and a Global Financial Center

Shanghai is a modern city and ensures that there is enough entertainment for you. The nightlife is almost as booming as the economy and there is always something to do. The food is delicious and diverse – you will find what you like in different parts of the city.

Don’t mistake Shanghai for being completely new though, although you won’t find the kind of history you do in Beijing. Shanghai has been occupied by European countries throughout the years, and this is still visible. Sometimes it’s like you’re in an ancient British city. This mix of Eastern and Western culture is rare to find.

Where to take Chinese Lessons in Shanghai?

So you’re certain that you want to travel to Shanghai for learning Chinese, now you need to find a place where you can take Chinese lessons.

Language Schools

One thing that you’ll find in abundance in China is language schools – they are absolutely everywhere. Language school is the right place for taking Chinese classes all year round and they have very flexible opportunities. Firstly, you will be able to combine intensive Chinese classes in Shanghai with working or exploring the city, as you are often capable of filling in your own schedule. You’ll be able to follow as little or as many classes as you want and you’ll also be able to stay and go whenever you want.

On top of this, a lot of language schools offer high-quality education and small class sizes․ But you do have to find these good language schools. One language school that you might want to take a look at is with CIP. An amazing website for looking at various language schools for intensive Chinese classes in Shanghai is this one. Here, you’ll be able to compare various language schools.

Universities

You can also opt for following a university course, where intensive Chinese classes in Shanghai are offered. There are some top universities in Shanghai that are known all around the world for their education. The backside of following a university course is that it will be a full-time course for a set amount of time. It can be a semester or a summer school for example. On the other hand, you will be able to learn Chinese a lot faster when you’re forced to follow full-time courses, and you’re ensured to get a high-quality education.

Universities could provide credit which you may transfer to your university

Its got accommodation on campus

larger class size

It is restricted to schedules and not flexible with start dates

Types of Chinese Language Courses in Shanghai

There are various Chinese courses in Shanghai and all you need to do is to choose a relevant course. Here are some good suggestions:

Summer Language Programs

If you want to spend your summer vacation learning Chinese, a summer language program is the best solution. But be aware that you need to start your application process earlier – in Winter and/or Spring. The deadline highly depends on the course. So make your research earlier and decide where you want to learn Chinese in summer.

Summer Camp for Teens

If you are aged between 14-17, a summer camp in China will be an unforgettable experience for you. Apart from learning Chinese, you will have time to explore Shanghai. There are interesting summer camps in China for high school students, you can choose the best one for you.

Semester Abroad in China

A semester abroad is a good chance for university students to spend six months of their education in another country. You will have the opportunity to learn Chinese at a Chinese university. The programs run at various level, from beginner to advanced.

A Year Abroad

There are many “Study abroad” programs which are a year-long. If you decide to study abroad in China, there will be lots of opportunities. If you decide to work abroad in China, again, you will ample choice. There are lots of cities that offer good opportunities for learning Chinese in China. All you have to do is to make research and see which city/program matches your needs.

Family Programs

If you want to have a first-hand experience of Chinese family culture, family programs are what you should be looking for. You will stay in a family, get involved in the daily life of a local Chinese family. What else can help you learn Chinese in China faster than staying with a host family!?

Best Universities to Study Chinese Language in Shanghai

Fudan University

Fudan University has a history of years and has a good reputation in China. The university is multicultural which implies you will not be the only foreign student in the campus. This will broaden your mind as you will deal with students from different cultures.

You can take intensive Chinese classes at Fudan University. Alternatively, you can learn Chinese History or the Chinese economy. The university gives you lots of options to choose from.

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

This is a major research university in Shanghai. The programs vary from non-degree programs to Ph.D. programs. You will surely find the field of your interest at Jiao Tong University as it offers a wide variety of disciplines – economics, law, literature, agriculture, science and so on.

Jiao Tong University welcomes both Chinese and international students. Their aim is to preserve the age-old tradition on education that the university has had and to combine it with the mindset of the millennials.

Shanghai University

Shanghai University is one of the top 40 universities in China. It offers 82 undergraduate programs, 187 graduate programs, and 97 doctoral programs in various disciplines. The disciplines include science, engineering, economics, management and a lot of other fields. The aim of the university is to be a key player in the education sector both in China and abroad.

The university has three campuses which confirm the shape of “One Body” and “Two Wings”. Baoshan Campus is the main campus – the “One Body”. Jiading Campus and Yanchang Campus are the “Two Wings”.

East China Normal University

East China Normal University is one of the top public research universities in China. It is included in different national education programs in China. For example, “Project 211” and “Project 985”.

The programs in East China Normal University include undergraduate admissions, graduate admissions, language programs, programs taught in English. The university also offers short-term sessions. You are free to apply online right on their website.

Tongji University

Tongji University, formerly Tongji German Medical School, is another state university in China. It has a long history and is considered to be one of the prestigious educational institutions in China.

The international faculty also offers courses in English, German, French, Spanish, and Italian. In case of questions, you can reach out to them via email or phone provided in the website.

Other Factors to Consider

When to Study in Shanghai

The first thing to consider is when to go, although this only applies when you’re not going for an entire year or for summer school. This only applies when you’re free in your choice of when to go. You should try to go during the fall as the weather is the most agreeable with a lot of clear days. You want to avoid the first week of October though, as this is China’s national day when all tourist amenities are packed and extra expensive.

Finding Accommodation

When it comes to finding accommodation, an amazing option would be living with a host family for an amount of time. This way you’ll get even more chances to practice what you learned during those intensive Chinese classes. You can use the following website to search for the perfect host family in Shanghai. Other options for accommodation also exist when you don’t feel comfortable with this, taking a hotel will always work when you’re only there for a short time, an AirBnB can be very nice and affordable as well. If you were to follow a university course then they will be able to arrange accommodation for you on the campus This also cuts the costs and makes it easier to connect to other international students on the university.

Right Visa for Your stay in China

Something that is important, especially when you want to study in China, is arranging your visa way ahead of time. The Chinese government is quite strict about this, so it’s important to apply for a student visa far ahead of your visit. It might even be necessary to get a medical examination before you can get your visa. Generally, you will always get the visa, but you do need to gather and send them all the necessary documents before you get.

All in all, planning this trip to following intensive Chinese classes in Shanghai should be fun. Yes, it’s a lot of work, and yes, it’s not cheap, but in the end, it will all be worth it. You will not only have an awesome experience to put on your resume and to score your dream job with, you’ll also have an awesome experience that is going to shape you as a person and that is going to be an incredible amount of fun. How special is it to travel off to China, learn Chinese, meet many international and explore the culture of China. Shanghai is a world-city that everyone should visit at least once in their lives, so now is your chance to meet this goal. Visiting China is something that you’re never going to regret, so now it’s up to you to arrange the sort of education that you want to follow, to arrange the accommodation that you’ll be staying at and to get your visa in order. After doing all of these things, you’ll be ready to travel.

Learn Chinese at Language School in Shanghai

If you don’t want to take a university course but you still want to learn Chinese in Shanghai, studying in a language center is a good option. You still get the benefits of exploring Shanghai and learning Chinese in China.

Especially if you decided to pursue a university degree in China, a language school can help you with your application process.

Here are the main advantages of learning Chinese at a language school:

Flexibility – Chinese courses at a language school are more flexible. You are free to choose the timing of your courses. However, you don’t have this freedom while studying at a university.

Comprehensive – some schools include 6 classes a day while universities only have 4 standard classes per day

Smaller groups – student ratio in language schools is about 15 participants. University groups are usually larger.

Easier to combine with other activities – as you are not too loaded with exams, you will have more chances to travel, volunteer, take an internship in Shanghai

Easier to get into a university – after taking a Chinese course in a language school, it becomes easier to apply to a Chinese university.

Here are the pros and cons of hiring a language center when applying to study Chinese at a University in Shanghai.

Pros of Using the service of language center/agency

Hassle free and peace of mind

The agency deals with the language barrier and admission processes

You get 24/7 support and feedback on your application

Offers extra immersion services like travel, internship etc which you don’t get applying by yourself

Accommodation arrangements can be tough and Agencies are able to sort you out

Settlement – Agencies provide personalized services to make sure your first few weeks of arrival is properly planned and removes any anxiety – like you don’t get stranded at the airport

Can be customized with agencies

Cons:

May cost extra money

May not be reliable

May not meet the deadlines

When it comes to taking a Chinese course in Shanghai, you have lots of options. You can take a Chinese language course at a university or at a language school. Meanwhile, you will have the opportunity to volunteer and to explore Shanghai.

Traveling and meeting new people will indirectly impact learning Chinese faster than it would be at your hometown. Studying Chinese in China is going to be an unforgettable experience for you.

Doing a hospitality internship abroad can be the experience of a lifetime, especially if this is a paid hotel internship. On the other hand, finding hospitality internships abroad might not be very easy if you grasp the processes and concepts very well. To help you out I’ve created this all-composing guide to finding hotel internships. …

Doing a hospitality internship abroad can be the experience of a lifetime, especially if this is a paid hotel internship. On the other hand, finding hospitality internships abroad might not be very easy if you grasp the processes and concepts very well. To help you out I’ve created this all-composing guide to finding hotel internships. When you follow these steps and use the resources, you are certain of spending your summer working at a hotel in a beautiful foreign country.

How to Find Hospitality Internships Abroad

Firstly you need to have some internships abroad options to apply for. So, where to start? This is a question that many students struggle with, as there are so many options. But I’ve got a few easy ways to start.

The first thing you want to know is that you need to start early, so I hope you aren’t reading this at the end of spring. It may sound a bit overdone, but you should already be starting in the winter of the previous year. This will give you enough time to find the perfect paid hotel internship.

Top Destinations to Do Your Hotel Internship

Abroad is literally a broad word, you want to narrow your search down. Therefore it’s best to choose a couple of countries you want to find hotel internships in. I’ve got a couple of countries for you that are great for doing an internship in.

Hospitality Internship in China.

Firstly, we have internships in China. The economy in China is booming, so there is a lot of place for interns looking to nail their international career, and you have a bigger chance of landing a paid hotel internship. hotel Internship in China might not sound appealing at the beginning but once you start your research on hospitality internships abroad, China is going to be in your top 3 list of destinations. Due to the large size of China’s economy and the presence of hundreds of 5-star hotels, resorts as well as other big players in the Hospitality industry, a hospitality internship in China is surely a guarantee for value for money.

On top of this, most internships will only require you to speak English, so there is no language barrier. Finally, you’ll be able to emerge into the Chinese culture, which will be a truly amazing experience and also with some survival Chinese Language skills that look great on your resume.

2. Hospitality Internship in Australia

Australia is an English-speaking country, which is handy, but its culture also differs greatly from the US. Australia is generally a lot more laidback, which can make your internship feel like a holiday. When you’re doing a paid hotel internship, chances are great you’ll be on the coast of Australia. This allows you to feel the beach atmosphere of Australia during your Australia hotel internship.

3. Hotel Internship in Spain

Finally, Spain is a beautiful European country for a hospitality internship abroad. Tourism is booming in this country, especially on the coasts, so there will be plenty of work. Once again, Spain has a very relaxed atmosphere with warm Mediterranean weather and amazing food. You might need to speak Spanish, but you can always take lessons to have the best time during your Spain hotel internship. Here you’ll be able to find information on hotel internships abroad.

Networking

I’ve said before, and I’ll say it again, networking is everything when you want to land an amazing paid hotel internship. You can start with your own relations, friends and family, but you can also make use of your school’s alumni office. The alumni of your school will probably have ties in the hotel world and will be able to help you get into contact with people that might secure a paid hotel internship for you.

Before you start networking, it’s important that your social media is in check, as this is where people will stumble upon first. If you’ve got any photos from a wild party on your Facebook, delete or hide them. This won’t leave a great impression on your potential employer.

Now you want to keep a list of contacts in your network, so you know exactly who you can contact and what they can help you with. This may feel fake, but it will make networking so much easier. After that, it’s time to take action and let some of these contacts know what you can do and what you’re looking for. You need to be direct, but not pushy. It’s also important to sell yourself a little, while not being cocky. Balance is the word you’re looking for here.

To keep up the networking, you want to keep in touch with the contacts in your network. This way, the network you’ve built up won’t die out. It would be a waste when you lose all the value from the network you’ve put all this work in. This also means that it’s important to send a thank you note when someone in your network helped you get your hotel internship abroad or with something else.

Top hotels for Internships Abroad

I’ve you really can’t find anything, or you just want some extra options, we’ve got a couple of the best hotels for internships for you.

The first hotel is the Marriot hotel, which is a great hotel for internships as it allows you to work in different parts of the hotel. Marriot hotel also allows you to apply for a paid hotel internship, which is always a bonus.

Then there is the Leela Hotel, which is also a beautiful hotel to do your hospitality internship abroad. This internship will also offer you the chance to see different departments like the kitchen and the front office. If you are planning to apply for hotel internships at the Leela hotel, make sure you get a recommendation from your college.

Finally, I’d recommend the Four Seasons hotels. Here you get the chance to work on a real-life project or problem that the hotel is working on. It’s a great way to learn about the challenges of working in a hotel.

Time to apply for hotel internships

If you’ve done your research and your networking, you have found some hotels where you can apply for an internship. Now it’s time to start the application processes, and I’ve got some tips for you.

Before you know can start applying, you need to get a few things in order. The first being your resume, which needs to be up-to-date and attractive. You might also need to adapt your resume to the country you’ll be sending it to. Make sure it contains all the relevant information, but don’t make it too extensive either. You’ll also need to write the cover letter for each hospitality internship abroad. Some tips for this can be found here.

When you’re applying to hotel internships you want to start with the internships that are lower on your list. You can use them as tests and see how they react to your resume and cover letter. This way you can perfect these for the paid hotel internship that you want most of all.

Hopefully, you’ll receive back a couple of positive statements, so you can eventually choose the place for your paid hotel internship. This is when we come to the next phase of preparation.

Preparing for your paid hotel internship

You want to start with getting the essentials in order- you should check whether you need a visa, insurances and your budget. Even though you’ve got a paid internship, you should still have a plan of covering your expenses. Another part you shouldn’t leave out of the equation is the role your parents are going to play – they need to be okay with your plans.

Not all parents are okay with letting their child go abroad by themselves, so you might need to do some persuading. One thing to make is a plan of staying in touch while you’re in China or wherever you’re doing your paid hotel internship.

Sometimes you need to arrange your own accommodation – something you also want to get done ahead of time. The most important thing is that this is a safe place to stay and you’ll be comfortable staying there.

Researching the country you’re flying to, the hotel you are going to be an intern at, are important tasks before you leave. This way you won’t be lost once you get there as you will know the ins and outs of your hospitality internship abroad.

Being informed will make the entire trip a lot more comfortable. Not only will you benefit from this but also, your employer will be happy that you are informed about their hotel. The last thing you want to do is offend someone while you’re working at a hotel, that wouldn’t leave a good impression.

I hope and I think that with these steps you’ll be able to find a paid hotel internship in the country you want to go to, like a hotel internship in Spain or a hotel internship in China. You will benefit a lot – paid hotel internship will build your CV, you will learn new skills and will explore quite a new culture.

Hopefully, you’ve started in time so you can take your time for all these steps and walk through them patiently and confidently. One thing is for certain, you’ll never regret going on a hotel internship in a different country. You will create memories that are going to last a lifetime.

There is no better place to learn Chinese than in China, and if you’re going to China then a good choice of city is Shanghai. Shanghai isn’t just one of the biggest cities with good universities. It’s also an incredibly modern city that is wonderful to discover. One university that is popular among foreign students …

There is no better place to learn Chinese than in China, and if you’re going to China then a good choice of city is Shanghai. Shanghai isn’t just one of the biggest cities with good universities. It’s also an incredibly modern city that is wonderful to discover. One university that is popular among foreign students studying Chinese in China, is Fudan University. Together we’ll walk through what Fudan university is and if they’re the place where you want to study Chinese while being in China.

About Fudan University Shanghai

Fudan university has a good reputation within China and has a history of a hundred years. They are a prominent member of ” 21 University” and have been incredibly focused on academic research and success during the past century. This would mean that you can expect quality education when you go to Fudan university to study Chinese.

The university has become incredibly multicultural over the past decades and nowadays there are over 45 000 students studying one of the 22 disciplines or one of the 134 sub-disciplines. The multiculturalism is evident when you hear that there are 7 000 international students each year, coming from 120 different countries. This way you’ll at least not be the only foreign student on the campus

Obviously, you can come here to follow intensive Chinese classes in Shanghai, but there are other options for international students as well. For example, Chinese History or the Chinese economy. We’ll get into this in more depth later.

Advantages of Learning Chinese at Fudan University Shanghai

Studying Chinese and thus following intensive Chinese classes in Shanghai at Fudan University has several advantages, in comparison to following Chinese courses in Beijing for example.

The first is that Shanghai is a beautiful, modern and busy city which makes a great place to live in while you’re learning Chinese at Fudan University. You will be living in a beautiful cosmopolitan city – the dream of many young people. Shanghai is a great place to learn about Chinese culture without having to live in some remote mountainous area. Discovering Shanghai is going to give you an unexpected experience. Here are some reasons Fudan University should be your destination when choosing a university in Shanghai.

The Cultural Diversity

The multiculturalism of Fudan University is a big plus for studying there. You’ll find your fields of interest a lot faster and easier when there are plenty of foreign students from different cultures. As I mentioned, there will be around 7000 other international students at the campus, from 120 different countries. This means you won’t only feel more at home, but you’ll also be able to learn from all these different cultures.

The Good Academic Reputation

Another advantage is that the Fudan University of Shanghai is a prestigious university with a good academic reputation, the university has enough successful alumni to prove for this. This means that you can count on receiving education from high-quality professors.

Along with providing good quality education, there is also a wide variety of courses in the Mandarin language, in such a way there is a course for everyone. Not everyone who wants to learn Chinese in China has the same goals in mind. This is why at Fudan University, all of these different people will be able to find a course with intensive Chinese classes in Shanghai that fits their needs.

An example is the summer school that anyone from 16 years onwards can follow during the summer holiday. Such a course takes four weeks and it even includes cultural activities and excursions to make a complete experience out of it.

A Good Place for Networking

The benefit of Fudan university being such a prestigious university is that many of the brightest students from the country study here, and you’ll have the chance to meet them. This makes Fudan university a good place for networking to create a network of China’s brightest minds. This will definitely help you along when you’ve got more plans in China.

Campus Accommodation

Another benefit is the accommodation that is available for students at the campus. On this campus, you’ll be able to truly connect with your other students and help each other with language programs. Besides, being useful that you can see other students each day, it’s also a lot of fun. You can share a room with another international student and really get to know each other. The campus on Fudan University is a place to make friends for life.

A drawback when it comes to accommodation is that Fudan University campus is not near the city center, so it will take you some time when you want to travel from the campus to the city center. This means that going out on the weekends will require you to take a taxi back. This is not the handiest of things, but the beautiful campus may be worth the traveling time.

The Study Programs Available

So you’ve seen why Fudan University is a good university for taking your intensive Chinese courses in Shanghai, but what are the options when it comes to studying Chinese?

Summer Chinese Language Programs at Fudan University

SCI, Summer Chinese Language Program is a four-week program for international students. You can apply to either of the plans – July term and August term. The program is open to non-Chinese citizens over 18. The application is open for university students, post-graduates or professionals who want to learn Chinese.

The level of Chinese courses varies from beginner to advanced. You are going to have an interview test which will determine which level is the best for you. Once you register, you will be able to see the schedule.

The teaching environment is comfortable for studying and recreation. ICES is located in the center of Handan Campus where transportation and accommodation are convenient.

One-Year Chinese language programs

Since a couple of years, there is the option of following a full-time language program at Fudan University, and it has been recently successful so far. You can start with this language program at 9 different levels, so it’s up to you to figure out which level you’re at. You might not know what sort of level you’re at in the beginning, but by following a couple of different classes you’ll be able to find out. The language program also consists of different courses like speaking, intensive reading and writing, to name a few.

Obviously, Fudan University offers more courses than just this language program, which you can also explore. Their law campus is supposed to be very impressive for example. Aside from your regular bachelor, you’ll also be able to follow Masters and even a Ph.D. if you’ve really mastered Chinese or when you choose to follow it in the English language.

The Mandarin Course Application Process

Now you know that you want to study the Chinese language at Fudan University, so it’s time to start the application process. To be allowed to apply to Fudan University, you need to be at least 18 years of age and you should be in good enough health to complete your studies. Of course, you should also have proof of the current study you are doing or the studies that you have completed, even if it is just high school.

If you want to apply for a bachelor, a master’s degree or a Ph.D., then obviously you’ll need a little more applications than just high school. The application deadline for the course starting in the fall is 25 May of 2018, so make sure to meet the deadline.

The Documentation

For the application process, you need to have a couple of documents, the first being a copy of your passport. Any documents that have to be with proficiency in any language should also be included. Transcripts of all your academic records should be included.

Another part of the application you shouldn’t forget is getting your student visa in order. This can be an extensive process when you need to get a visa for China, as they are quite thorough with making sure that everything is in order. You might even need to undergo a medical exam before you can get your visa. Thus, it’s important to start on time.

The Tuition

The entire application process can be completed via the internet. You can also pay tuition via the internet. This way you don’t have to travel to China to complete the application and you can simply do everything from the comfort of your own home. On top of this, you can complete the application very fast and it won’t take a lot of time. The payment can’t be refunded and you can pay the tuition via the internet with a VISA or Mastercard.

Applying Through an Agency

Want to Study Chinese in Shanghai and get the best of your stay? The smartest strategy is to achieve as uch exposure as possible while in China. The bad news is that universities are just there to provide language lessons and deliver academic classes, the Good News is that there are Language Schools and Agencies that can help you get the best of China. Why you should also consider using the services of an agency when applying to study Chinese in China

They deal with the placement process with qualified and Multi-lingual staff

You get speedy admission offers and able to cross the queue

With Agencies, you are able to combine Language lessons with internships and volunteering opportunities without paying extra

You get customized package eliminating stress and anxiety. Sometimes its difficult communicating with admission officers at the university but agencies provide quality and quick guidance

You also get great support systems from admission, airport pickup, and settlement packages

Final Words

When you’ve decided what you want to do at Fudan University, and you’ve completed your application, you can start preparing for the experience of a lifetime. How many people can say they studied Chinese in the beautiful city of Shanghai? That is not a lot of people.

Not only will this experience enrich your mind and your experiences, but it will also add a lot of value to your resume and appeal to future employers. Traveling to China in order to study Chinese is a choice that you won’t regret. I can assure you of this. Therefore, it’s time to get everything in order and start planning for your trip to Shanghai. Here, you’ll be attending intensive Chinese classes in Shanghai, whether this is for four weeks or an entire year. From now on it’s up to you to design the best time of your life

Looking to learn Chinese Language at Fudan University? Visit our program page for more

Doing an internship abroad is something that a lot of students dream of, although China is not necessarily the first country they’ll be thinking of. Students want to see Europe, the elegance of France or the sun-soaked hills of Italy. Yet, internships in China, and internship in Shanghai to be specific have become increasingly popular, …

Doing an internship abroad is something that a lot of students dream of, although China is not necessarily the first country they’ll be thinking of. Students want to see Europe, the elegance of France or the sun-soaked hills of Italy. Yet, internships in China, and internship in Shanghai to be specific have become increasingly popular, see reasons you should intern in China. Even though you might not suspect it, these internships are popular for good reasons. What these reasons are, is exactly what I’ll be writing about. Do you want to learn the 15 secrets of Shanghai internships?

1. An internship abroad will impress future employers

This is not a secret per se, as it isn’t specific to an internship in Shanghai, this goes for international internships in general. It is also important to mention though. Doing an internship abroad will show a future employer a couple of things that will make you a lot more attractive solicitant.

Firstly, you’re adventurous and ambitious. These are characteristics that many employers like to see in their employees, as you will probably strive for their company as well. On top of this, you’ve seen different cultures and faced the challenges of being in a strange environment. Having knowledge of the world and the possibility to adapt to different situations are once again characteristics that will get you farther in any field of work

Shanghai has become a global city so considering an internship here will be life-changing for you. There are hundreds of opportunities in Shanghai in various industry sectors. It is the financial center of China and is a world leader in finance and international business.

2. A completely different culture

Going to London for your international internship can be amazingly fun and educative, don’t get me wrong here, but the culture isn’t very different from the US. Shanghai, on the other hand, will throw you into an entirely different culture. Shanghai is part of China as you probably know, and the Chinese culture is nothing like the American culture. You’ll learn new customs, new dishes, new music, new ways of entertainment etc. Internship in China will surely broaden your horizon.

3. Shanghai is a modern city

It is very well possible that the thought of China is made up of busy streets crammed with poor people, toxic fumes, trash etc. Yet, this is not the case when it comes to Shanghai. In opposition to what many people believe, Shanghai is a modern and clean city. Isn’t that great? You get the beautiful culture of China, while still being in a modern city. Shanghai Internship is surely an opportunity to meet oriental culture while exploring your career options. See our article about life in Shanghai

4. Your money is worth more

Another country that would offer the two points I mentioned above, is Japan, which is incredibly modern yet also has a culture that couldn’t be more different from the US. There is one point where Shanghai wins over Japan though, which is the cost. Japan is awesome, but living there is not cheap. With an internship in Shanghai, you’ll be able to get more for your money than you do in your hometown, which is always a plus when you want to have a fun time as well.

5. There are many internship opportunities in Shanghai

When you’re looking for an internship, it’s important that there are enough internships available, and this is definitely the case in Shanghai. While the economy of the west has been going up and down for many decades, China’s economy has only started booming recently. This means that you’ll be able to find internships in almost all industries you can think of. On top of this, you also have a bigger chance of finding a paid internship, which is always beneficial. Doing an internship that will enlarge your job chances later on in life is already great, but being paid for it as well make it a dream come true.

6. It will create a greater network

As a student, you’ve probably heard over and over how important it is to have a big network when you want to make your way into the career world. Thus, creating a network is something you want to start with as a student. And what better way to do this than during an internship in Shanghai. Plus, broadening your network in Shanghai also means that you’re going to have an international network, creating even better chances for yourself.

Now networking in China isn’t quite the same as it in the US. Therefore you should definitely check out this article so you can work on your Chinese networking skills.

7. You can challenge yourself

One thing that may outweigh all of the other benefits that are offered by an internship in Shanghai is that you get to challenge yourself. As a student you are constantly broadening your horizon and overcoming challenges, but why wouldn’t you want to take it up a notch? Going to Shanghai will surely help you do this

8. Shanghai is the financial center of China

If you want to do an internship that has anything to do with the world of finances, then Shanghai is where you want to be. Shanghai is the business center of China. This is where it all happens and where you’ll find a lot of opportunities regarding finances

9. You’ll be surrounded by driven and focused people

One thing that characterizes the financial world and its people is how driven and focused they are, all the time. This is something that you’ll be certain to find in Shanghai, the center of China’s financial world

10. You’ll get to know the Chinese work environment

The Chinese work environment isn’t the same as the American or the French work environment for example. Therefore it will be a new experience to take an internship in China and to get acquainted with their working ethics. You’ll learn new things, and you’ll adapt to new situations as well. Plus, you’ll broaden your knowledge on different sorts of work environments, which will always be a benefit.

11. It houses 73 fortune 500 companies

Fortune 500 is a list that consists of the 500 most proliferate companies, and 73 of these companies are located in Shanghai. Having an internship at a fortune 500 companies will be sure to leave a mark on your resume and impress future employers. Having the chance of interning at a fortune 500 company, I would always advise you to take it.

12. You’ll learn how to be very productive and fast-paced

Along with the financial character of the city comes a finance-inspired work ethic. This means that offices in Shanghai are generally very fast-paced and focused on productivity, something that you might not be used to. This will allow you to get used to it and learn how to be more work-efficient than ever, which can benefit you in every area of your life, including your studies.

13. Learn a new language

If you’re planning on having a longer internship, then you may use the opportunity to pick up some language lessons while you’re out there. Chinese is not a common second language, so learning it well will also add value to your resume. Even when you’re not going to learn how to speak fluent Mandarin, it can at least be fun to give it a shot. If you are interested in Chinese lessons in Shanghai, then look over here.

14. China is where it will all be happening

I’ve already mentioned that China’s economy is booming, but their growth isn’t even close to coming to an end. Having some sort of connection to China will help you enormously in the future. Almost all global companies are trying to make their way into the Chinese market, so you’re going to be an asset to any company when you tie to China.

15. Having a lot of fun

A good reason for doing your internship that shouldn’t be overlooked is how much fun it will be. Exploring a new culture and having to find your way in a completely new environment is scary, but it can also be so much fun. How is it going to get any better? You’re building your future, possibly getting school credit, all while having the time of your life. There are many more places to visit while in Shanghai.

The biggest fun for you will be joining a startup community as there are several startup ecosystems supported by government funds to help entrepreneurs develop their ideas. This kind of internship in Shanghai will boost your motivation and creative thinking. You will find yourself in an environment of highly motivated, talented people from different countries and mentality. This kind of diversity and internship opportunity will help you generate ideas, be in the process of creating something new and interesting. Other entrepreneurs will be a leading example for you, you will learn a lot of new skills and will get the working ethics that they already have.

This kind of entrepreneurial motivation will make your internship abroad program an unforgettable experience after which, lots of companies will be interested in hiring you. This kind of motivation will even help you when you want to start your own business – you will be ready for all the challenges and will know what to expect, how to avoid failure.

If these aren’t enough reasons to travel and do an internship in Shanghai then I don’t know how I need to convince you anymore. If I have managed to convince you then you can take a look at the following website to find an internship in Shanghai. The possibilities are endless, but especially in the financial world, you’re going to have success. It will probably be the adventure of your lifetime, as it has been for the student that tells their story over here.

Now from here on it’s up to you to start figuring out your internship, as you will need to put your best foot forward if you want to land the perfect internship in Shanghai. Even though there is a lot of room for interns, you will still need to put in some effort as you always do. When you do put in a lot of effort, you might even be able to land a paid internship, as if it couldn’t get any better.

Securing an internship is one thing, an international internship the next, but securing a paid international internship is quite a challenge. To still help you achieve this I’ve come up with a step-by-step plan that is going to help you land a paid international internship. Keep on reading if you want this as well. Internships …

Securing an internship is one thing, an international internship the next, but securing a paid international internship is quite a challenge. To still help you achieve this I’ve come up with a step-by-step plan that is going to help you land a paid international internship. Keep on reading if you want this as well. Internships abroad Experiences are surely a major differentiator in the Job Market for young graduates.

Know what you’re looking for

The first step to trying to find a paid international internship is knowing what kind of internship you want. There are many different internships out there, and it’s not going to help when you apply to every single one. First of all, you want to apply to internships that need skills that you have. You’re not going to apply for an internship at a newspaper when you are not good at writing whatsoever.

On top of this, you need to do an internship program that you’re going to enjoy doing and that will be useful to the major you’re doing. This is something that you might also want to discuss with your college professors. They will know what sort of internship is going to be beneficial and fits the courses that you’re taking.

Try to make it as specific as possible, this will make it possible for you to research the field thoroughly so you also have more chance when you are applying for an internship.

Contact the study abroad office

One important part of finding a paid internship is networking, but this is a lot harder when you’re looking for an international internship. One place where you will be able to get some contacts is your study abroad office. They might have connections with some companies abroad that take on interns. Even when they have no direct connections with companies, they might know people in various countries that could help you find an internship. It never hurts to pay them a visit.

Contact some global companies

Yes, it’s harder to get an internship at a big multinational than at a small local company, but the chance is also much higher than you’ll be able to find a paid internship here. Many big multinational companies will have big internship programs, with paid internships as well. The following link will lead you to a website where you can find a list of huge multinational companies that offer international internships. There are simple hacks to secure an internship abroad and you need to be smart about it

Companies like BMW and Google, which all of us know, for example, have huge internship programs that you might also find a place in. Another website you might want to check out is this one. Here you find the list of the companies who offer the best internship programs according to interns, so you’re certain to have a good time when you manage to land your internship at one of these companies.

1. The Wall Street Journal – this will be a dream internship for every journalist. The Dow Jones International program is perfect both for graduates and undergraduates. You just need to love reporting on finance and business news.

2. H&M: Business Internship in Stockholm, Sweden – if you are majoring in business and you are also crazy about fashion, this is the right internship program for you. You will learn the business side of the fashion industry and meanwhile will enjoy Stockholm.

3. AIPC Pandora – This professional internship in Madrid is a perfect fit for students and graduates. This will be a good practical professional experience as an internship abroad.

4. China Internships – if you love the tourism industry and have always liked traveling, you will love this hospitality internship opportunity in China.

5. IAESTE – same as the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience, offers paid international internships to over 80 countries. This is a good chance if you are a tech student and would like to challenge your skills.

Network even further

Some people, like you perhaps, have no connections to countries abroad whatsoever, but some people might surprise you. Connecting with alumni, friends, family and college professors might deliver more than you think. You never know who has ties to a foreign company. This networking doesn’t have to start off with you asking for help, it’s smarter to start small and slowly build the relationship. When looking for an internship abroad, you should leave no stone unturned

As this may take some time, it’s crucial to start on time. Even if this network isn’t going to land your internship, it’s never useless. Having a big network can come in handy anytime, whether you’re searching for an internship or a new job.

Know your strengths

Now I’m not saying that you need to make a commercial out of yourself or become arrogant, but knowing what you’re good at is important. The company that you will be promoting yourself to needs to know what your skills and how it is going to benefit their company.

Therefore you need to know what these strengths are and what kind of skills you possess. If you have trouble figuring this out you can always ask your friends, family, and professors. They might be better at figuring out what your strengths are than you are.

Along with knowing what your strengths are it’s also important to know that you have strengths and that you do actually add value to a company. Having confidence will get you a lot farther than a lot of qualifications. You shouldn’t just apply for very easy internships, you want to aim high.

Even when you think that an internship is out of your league I would urge you to apply, you may end up earning and learning a lot more at this internship than you would’ve at one of a lower level. Therefore, you should never think that an internship is too much for you, you might surprise yourself.

Work on your resume and cover letter

You shouldn’t just know why you’re going to be the best intern, you should also be able to show them, which you need to do through the use of a resume and cover letter. Writing a good resume and cover letter isn’t easy and it can take a lot of time for it to become perfect, so it will probably take continuous editing. One article where you’re going to find a lot of tips on writing the perfect letter for your internship can be found here.

The most important tip that I would be able to give you right now is that you need to make your cover letter unique, you won’t jump out when your cover letter looks like every other cover letter. There are many ways in which you can make your cover letter your own.

Along with making your cover letter unique, you want to display the dedication that you have. You need to really show how bad you want to have that internship. Skills and knowledge are incredibly important when you want to have an internship, but dedication triumphs them all.

Before writing your cover letter it’s also handy to have researched the company that you’re writing the letter to. This way you can incorporate some of this knowledge into the cover letter, which will also make you stand out.

This is also why you shouldn’t apply to every single job out there. In that case, you simply wouldn’t have the time to research every single company. If you’re only focusing on one typical niche, then you’ll able to learn a lot more about this niche, so that you are capable of writing a much better fitting cover letter.

When it comes to your resume, you may want to adapt your resume to the country of the company you’re sending it to. Every country has different standards when it comes to resumes. In some countries, it’s perfectly normal to add some personal information, while elsewhere this is not done.

It will take a little research on your side, but having a resume that fits the etiquette of the country you’re sending it to will at least assure that your resume isn’t going to end up in the bin.

Don’t give up so fast

If you’ve written the company that you want to do the internship over an email, and you’ve had no reply, then this is no reason to give up immediately. If you’re contacting huge companies which get too many emails to reply to, send them another email. Sending a follow-up email is never a bad idea.

Now I am not saying that you should be emailing them every single day from now on, but one or two follow-up emails will only show your dedication. You could ask them whether they’ve already considered you or you could even add on to the email that you’ve already sent with some extra bullet points.

Research what visa you’ll need

A paid internship abroad is like a dream, but this isn’t possible with each student visa. Some visas do not allow you to complete a paid internship. It would be unhandy to only figure this out after you’ve secured your paid international internship. Therefore, it’s a good idea to figure out what the deal is with the country that you’re going to need a visa for.

When you complete all these steps, the chances of you landing a paid international internship will certainly be a lot greater, although I could never assure you a 100% success rate. Paid international internships aren’t available in abundance, so securing one will take a lot of effort on your side.

Yet, if you do follow all these steps and you give your everything, then the chances are a lot bigger. I would recommend you to start with determining what kind of international internship you want. Then it’s time to start with networking and finding all the possibilities that are out there.

When you have found some options it’s time to start applying to some of them, using a well-written and adapted cover letter and resume. Finally, you need to know your skills and know that you should write one or two follow-up emails before giving up. This is what will get you far.

Do you want to take a gap year abroad? Do you want to stop studying for a while? Maybe you’re not ready yet for college or your first job? It doesn’t matter what the reason for your gap year is, one thing is for sure, you don’t want to waste a year of your life. …

Do you want to take a gap year abroad? Do you want to stop studying for a while? Maybe you’re not ready yet for college or your first job? It doesn’t matter what the reason for your gap year is, one thing is for sure, you don’t want to waste a year of your life. Thus, you need a good way to spend this year both productively and fun. I’ve got 13 gap year jobs and opportunities for you that will cost you no money at all but that will still give you an amazing gap year experience.

Can gap year programs be free?

When thinking about gap year jobs, the first thing you ask is – can I get a free gap year program? There are lots of free and paid gap year programs. Planning Gap Year abroad should not be a rush, you need to weigh all options to guarantee a good experience. Some tips on how to find a free or low-cost gap year job:

Check the program fee

Some gap year programs are free and some cost you money. This is mainly connected with the fact that some programs are aimed at charity work and the company takes care of all the costs. In other cases, your chosen destination is highly popular and the gap year jobs compensate pocket money only.

Apply for gap year scholarships and grants

If you are actively looking for a gap year scholarship, you will surely find a volunteer abroad scholarship. Find some volunteering communities and ask others how they got their scholarship.

Join NGOs and Sending Companies

Some companies are interested in exchange programs and want bright young people to go take a job or internship abroad, come back and make a change in their hometown. Finding such programs is mutually beneficial both for you and for the sending company.

Find other ways of reducing your travel costs

There can be other means of reducing your expenses, for example, living with a host family, avoiding traveling at hot seasons.

Should I trust free Gap Year Programs?

Another important question that comes to your mind is whether a gap year program can be trustworthy. To choose the best option, you need to have research and select the best and the most reliable program. There are some key aspects you need to take into account. Here are they:

Check All the Available Resources

The website, social media pages, reviews. These are the main things you need to check at first. How much information is there on their website? Do they have social media engagement? Do people comment on their posts? What are the reviews others wrote? Get the answer to all of these questions and decide how trustworthy this information is.

Check their case studies and success stories, analyze the participants and what they have learned from their gap year abroad job. Understand the key takeaways they have had and how important they are for you.

Interview Previous Participants

Go to forums, volunteering discussion platforms and find people who have taken the same or similar project as you did. Ask them to share their experience and impressions with you. Ask them about the weather, the food, the people, the climate and all the other aspect important to you.

This information will help you understand how comfortable you will feel in that environment. But remember that it’s not about getting out of your comfort zone, it’s about basic conveniences you need to have for being more effective. For example, if you are allergic to the sun, you wouldn’t feel happy in a very sunny city. Check our article on factors to consider for your Gap Year in China

Trust Your Gut

Even if the gap year job is really trustworthy but deep in your heart you are not excited about it, look for something else. After lots of research, you can’t feel wrong about the right position. Make sure you differentiate between the fear of the unknown and the “I don’t feel right about this” moment.

How to find a free gap year job

Finding a free gap year opportunities abroad is not as easy as it seems. There is lots of leg work and you have to look for something that will help you stand out and become more professional. We have selected 13 free gap year jobs that will be highly interesting and reliable.

Teaching English in China

One way to travel the world and make some money at the same time is teaching English in China. In China people are always looking for English teachers, the entire country is trying to learn English and they need teachers for this. If you want to learn more about this, then you should definitely read the following article. We have Teach in China gap year opportunities

Work on a cruise ship

If you want to have the chance of making money while still being on some sort of holiday, then you should try to find a job on a cruise ship. There are plenty of different jobs available, you could be on the animation team or work in the kitchen. You’ll have little living expenses as you’re living on the cruise ship, and you’ll be able to make between $30,000 and $45,000 in one year, which is quite a lot of money. This way you’ll be able to earn while still seeing the world.

Travel locally

Traveling is something that many teens would love to do on their gap year, but it’s not very cheap. One thing you could do is stay close to home. When you live in the US, there are plenty of states you might have never visited before. This isn’t necessarily free, but you can always work while you’re traveling, which assures that you won’t need any extra money for your traveling.

Travel abroad and learn a new language

This may sound like an idea that is going to cost you a lot of money, but that’s not actually the case. You should check out Language for Exchange, this is a community where you can meet people from different nationalities so you can help each other learn new languages. You can meet people via the community and decide to spend some time with each other, you visit them in their country and the other way around. It’s an awesome way of making new friends, traveling and learning a new language.

Being an AU pair

One job for your gap year that can be a lot of fun, and that also allows you to explore a different culture is being an AU pair. You can travel to any country in the entire world and work as an AU pair for a family, which is usually for a longer period of time. Spending a gap year as an AU pair is basically like a year living abroad that completely pays itself. Of course, you’ll need to find a family that fits you, so make sure to check out the following page for more information.

Look for gap year scholarships

Yes, there are scholarships that will pay for your gap year, you just need to find them. One place to start looking is GoAbroad Scholarships. Here you’ll be able to find some scholarships that will pay for a gap year full of traveling. There are academic scholarships that will pay for your gap year when you’ve got a high GPA, for example. You also have athletic scholarships for when you have put down a remarkable athletic performance. These are the typical scholarships, but there are also scholarships for when you’re not stellar at one of these activities, so be sure to keep looking.

A work exchange

There are plenty of companies that will offer to pay for your living expenses and accommodation when you work for them for a set amount of hours. Think of working on a farm or working in a hotel. Yes, you’ll have to do work that might not be your favorite, but at least it’s a lot cheaper than regular traveling and you’ll still get to see the world a little bit.

Volunteer work

You are probably aware you don’t get paid for volunteer work, but you are often able to find volunteering opportunities abroad that do pay for your living expenses and have accommodation for you. There are many volunteer programs out there and although some do cost money, there are also programs that cost very little or nothing at all; you’ll just have to invest your time in doing some good research.

Mission-oriented Opportunities

If you’re going to college next year then it might be nice to take a gap year to prepare for this year. This is where mission oriented opportunities come into the picture. These programs are made especially for transitioning into college and being prepared for this. The following website offers some of these mission-oriented opportunities that will give you an awesome gap year to prepare for college.

Become a travel tour leader

What is the perfect combination of traveling and working? Being a tour leader, of course! You can make money being a junior tour leader while your accommodation, food, and flights are being paid for. This is an awesome gap year that allows you to travel the world while making money. Now, it’s not all fun – you will need to work hard and be capable of dealing with problems. On the other hand, it can be the most fun job you’ll ever have. There are plenty of countries where there is a need for tour leaders, think of India, Egypt, Thailand etc.

Work at a music festival

If you’ve ever been to a music festival then you know how amazing the atmosphere can be: that is a place that you want to work at. Especially during the summer, there are music festivals around the entire world looking for staff. You can do volunteer work, get a free ticket and perhaps even some food. You could also be a photographer for their festival. There are plenty of different jobs that need to be fulfilled. You might not be making a lot of cash, but at least you can have a fun time for little money.

Be a summer camp counselor

Another gap year job that is a lot of fun today is being a counselor at a summer camp. When you want to be a summer camp counselor, there are plenty of options – you can travel all over the world and there are plenty of different kinds of summer camps. For example, you could work at a crafting camp for small children or a sports camp for teenagers.

Work as a barista or bartender

Two jobs that you can practice anywhere in the world are being a barista and bartender. These are also amazing jobs for coming into contact with the local population. It’s even better when you already have some sort of experience being a barista or bartender. You want to start searching well ahead of time so you can find bartending and barista jobs in the country or countries that you want to travel to. This way, you can travel without having to spend any extra money. Plus, you might even meet new people while you’re bartending or being a barista.

Final Words

All of these ideas are amazing ways to spend your gap year without spending too much money, but of course, not all of these ideas are for you. I am certain that one of these ideas works for you, as there are many different kinds of opportunities. If you love children, then you might want to try being a summer camp counselor or an AU pair. But when you really want to learn a new language, then it may be smarter to join the Language Exchange community.

One thing’s for sure, it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to have an amazing gap year abroad. Now it’s up to you to find something to do and to find a way that you can finance perfectly, as not all ideas are 100% free, or you’ll be making the money during the gap year. You will also need reserve money, so be sure to have this. Make sure to arrange other matters like your accommodation and your transport. It might be smart to start at least 6 months before the start of your gap year with organizing everything.

Do you know Summer Internship Abroad for High School Students Exist? Some high schoolers love to spend their summer doing absolutely nothing, just enjoying the free time, going to the beach, playing video games or whatever they fancy doing. Then you also have the high schoolers that love to make something of their summer and …

Do you know Summer Internship Abroad for High School Students Exist? Some high schoolers love to spend their summer doing absolutely nothing, just enjoying the free time, going to the beach, playing video games or whatever they fancy doing. Then you also have the high schoolers that love to make something of their summer and use all this free time in a useful way. These students would be fit for doing a summer internship, which is exactly what I’ll be showing you how to get.

Why you want to do a summer internship as a high school student

Perhaps you’re still doubting whether a summer internship is for you, perhaps it’s better to just go on holiday with the rest of your family. I don’t think it is, I think you should grab this chance, and I’ve got some arguments that are certain to convince you as well:

1. You will Live Apart from Your Family

Sometimes there are things we take for granted – our mother making our favorite food and waking us up, father bringing our favorite cookies. We sometimes ignore the bigger sacrifices – them paying for our tuition and everyday expenses while they could have afforded to buy that car they are so eager to have.

Only after living apart from your family do you understand you actually love them and acknowledge what they have done for you. Even if you don’t experience all of this, at least you will have time to reconsider your relationship with your siblings and parents, will evaluate all the past fights and sweet moments you have experienced together.

2. You will Have a Proper Work Experience

First of all, you have a chance to gain some work experience. Having it, in whatever field, will always be an asset to your resume. Perhaps you get the chance to do a summer internship that relates to the college major you want to do next year. Your relevant work experience will give you a head start when you’re going to apply for colleges. On the other hand, having any sort of work experience might get you that side job you really want to do.

3. You will Learn New Skills

Work experience also translates to you learning new skills, which will help you grow as a person. Having skills in a certain field will also make you feel more confident if you ever were to work in such an environment, or any environment, again. Let’s say you get the chance to do an internship at the local hospital, you’ll feel much more confident when you’re later going to start your first job as a doctor. After you’ve graduated from college, you will already know the environment.

4. You will Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

While your peers are taking selfies at a beach, you will be working in a completely new country and environment. This will get you out of your comfort zone and you will become more open to experiencing new things. Moreover, you will be more open to learning and exploring other cultures. This will give you essential skills like listening to others’ perspective – you have experienced new cultures and work ethics so you will understand there is not just one side – your side. Instead, you will be a better listener and just opposing for the sake of the argument will seem to be a really childish thing for you.

Sharing a room with a complete stranger will be another challenge for you. You will find out that others go to bed earlier and don’t like noise, your neighbor on the right listens to the same type of music as you do – and you thought you are the only one listening to that song. Now you have a common topic of conversation with a complete stranger and it feels good.

5. You will Get to Know Your Future Specialization

If you don’t know what you want to major in yet, then doing a summer internship is also a great way of coming closer to knowing what you want to do. Doing a summer internship is a no-risk way of trying out one kind of career. Perhaps you’ll love it, and now you know what you want to do in the future. But you might hate it, then at least you know what you don’t want to do.

An internship abroad is a good adaptation for life – it will empower you with strong adjustment skills you will be thankful for. You will gain friends you would have never met in your hometown. You start it as a fun adventure and at the end, you get hear-warming flashbacks of all the events that have made you stronger and ready for life. The importance of high school internships abroad can never be underestimated. In your lifetime, you have just one chance of a high school internship abroad. Of course, you will have various other experiences and internship opportunities but high school years is the perfect time to give it all a start.

Why High School Students Should You Do an Internship in China?

When high school students want to take an internship abroad, they consider European countries as they think Italy, Spain are the most desired destinations with ample opportunities for high schoolers. However, during recent years, high school student flow to China has increased and now this country is becoming a leading desired and must-visit internship destinations. The reasons are numerous and the most important ones are:

Safety

Parents taking their high school teenagers to the airport across their broad smile worry about their child’s safety. But when it comes to China, lots of parents are sure that this peace-loving nation is safer than lots of European countries.

The Unique Combination of Rich History and Modernization

China is an ancient country with a rich history and breathtaking sightseeing places, quiet corners and noisy -. Whether you like silence or crowded places, you will surely find them in China. All you need is good research on which city to visit.

The Amazing Language

Chinese is becoming more and more demanded. It is not a secret that Chinese is not an easy language to learn. So, spending a considerable amount of time in this country will help you learn Chinese easily and with less effort. High school is the perfect age for learning a new language as your brain is more flexible at acquiring information. So you have all the benefits at the right time.

Friendly People

Chinese people are friendly and kind to foreigners. They are hard-working and polite, too. So, whether you want to become friends or just ask a direction, you will be surely met with a warm smile and eagerness to help.

The Superb Food

Though mainly known for its tea and rice, Chinese cuisine has a lot more to offer. You will be amazed at how diverse the food is here – the cuisine greatly varies from region to region so you will never get bored at trying new food. For example, some regions are known for their spicy food while others – seafood. Roasted sweet potatoes, Chinese barbecue, and Shao Kao are quite another topic of conversation when it comes to trying street food in China.

Natural Wonders and Astonishing Landscape

The Great Wall of China, The Yellow Mountains near Shanghai, Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong and lots of other must-visit sights in China have always attracted tourists from all over the world and became one of the reasons foreigners take an internship abroad opportunity in China.

Internship in China is going to be an incredible opportunity for you as a high school student. You will be so impressed that you will recommend interning abroad to your friends, too. Now that you are thinking of the internship opportunities a high school student can get abroad, it’s high time to look for a relevant internship for you.

How to find a summer internship as a high school student

You can probably understand that as a high school student, you don’t have the skills that college students have. This doesn’t mean that you can’t be an asset to a company though. There are plenty of companies who would love to give you the chance of doing unpaid work for them, it helps them out for free and you get the chance to learn many new things. Here is what you need for finding a summer internship abroad

Prepare a Resume and a Cover Letter

To prepare for finding a summer internship, you’ll need a resume and a cover letter in place. In school, you’ve hopefully learned how to write a resume and a cover letter, so you know how to do this. It’s best to ask some feedback from your teachers or your parents. This way, you will know for sure that your resume and cover letter are of high quality.

The minimal things that your resume should include are a record of any previous employment you had, any coursework that is relevant to the kind of internship that you want to be doing, extracurricular work, volunteer work you did and of course any awards or special skills you have.

Identify Your Interests

Now, before you can actually start looking, you need to know what you’re looking for. This means that you need to identify what your interests are and what kind of job you would like to have in the future. If you know that you’re crazy about science then it’s a good move to try and find an internship with a laboratory or a hospital in the neighborhood.

Prepare an Elevator Pitch

Something else you might want to have prepared, especially when you’re going to visit companies to promote yourself, is an elevator pitch. This is like a short speech in which you promote yourself as an intern. Approaching companies or people is a lot easier when you know what you’re going to say. This means that you should tell them about your academic history, your skills, your interests and why hiring a high school student as an intern would benefit their company. The following blog article has more tips for you in that department.

The first, and also the easiest place to look is your own high school. They may have a program in place for finding internships. You should definitely talk to your academic counselor to see if they can help you and what the options are. Even if your school doesn’t have an internship program, your teachers might have some connections to local businesses, they might be able to set up an internship for you. It never hurts to ask them for some help, this will usually work well if you get along well with your teachers.

Perhaps your school can’t find an internship at a company for you, but they might be able to take you on as an intern of their own. Schools also need to solve organizational problems, and a fresh outlook might just be what they need.

When your school isn’t capable of arranging anything for you then you can ask your parents and their friends if they would be able to arrange anything for you. Maybe a friend of your mother is in the management team of a company and can arrange an internship for you, or perhaps your uncle knows someone who has got the perfect internship spot. Networking is key over here, that is how you’re going to get places. Then you can also directly contact companies that you know of and show them what you’ve got to offer. You could send an email, but it will probably work better if you go there directly or make a call. This shows how committed you really are.

Search Online

It can be possible that you don’t find anything at first, but it doesn’t mean that everything is lost. You can also find a lot of internships via the internet, although you do need to be wary as many of these internships are meant for college students. You’ll also be able to find special high school internship programs via the internet, although these do usually charge some sort of fee. Some examples can be found over here. These internship programs are not cheap but they are perfect for preparing yourself for a science major when you enroll in college after this.

Many small companies would love to take on unpaid interns during the summer, but they can be hard to find. Contacting your local Chamber of Commerce can help you get into contact with some of these small companies.

When you’ve found a potential summer internship abroad

Let’s say you found a potential internship, and now you need to decide whether you want to take it or not, then you need to consider a couple of things. Perhaps you’ve been searching for a long time and you’re very eager to say yes, but you need to take a couple of steps back first. A question you should definitely ask is what your duties will be during the internship. An internship at a laboratory sounds very interesting until you find out that you’ll be doing nothing but cleaning the material all summer.

It’s also to figure out how much and for how long they expect you to work. The risk is always there that companies try to take advantage of you by having you work long hours each day, which is not pleasant or healthy for you. Clear arrangements should be made on the working times beforehand.

If you did decide to say yes to your internship, then I can only congratulate you and tell you that you now need to make the most out of this summer. Try to learn as many new things as you can during your internship, this also means that you shouldn’t be scared to ask questions. On top of this, you want to talk to as many different people as you can. This way, you won’t only learn more about different aspects in the company but you’ll also be able to build yourself a network.

When you follow all of these tips, then your internship is bound to be a success. It’s important to realize that your internship won’t be one big party all summer, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun. After all, you don’t want to waste your summer away sitting in an office getting everyone coffee. That’s fun for a couple of days, but after a couple of weeks, you are certain to go crazy. Therefore it’s important to be a little picky about your internship as well. Of course, you’ll need to do some busywork, but you don’t want to just do busywork. And now it’s time for you to move to a different web page and start your search for your high school internship.

Resources for Finding Summer Internships Abroad for High School Students

Want a High School Summer Internship for your Child or even for your self? China is one of the hottest destinations to consider. With a combination of rich cultural exposure and access to one of the largest economy participants return with so much experience and complete transformation. Join the Best International Internship for High School Students.

Taking a gap year isn’t something you do simply for the heck of it -it’s an entire year of your life, so you don’t want to waste this year. One way to spend this time efficiently is taking a gap year internship. This is the best choice that you’ll make if you want to have …

Taking a gap year isn’t something you do simply for the heck of it -it’s an entire year of your life, so you don’t want to waste this year. One way to spend this time efficiently is taking a gap year internship. This is the best choice that you’ll make if you want to have a useful gap year, and I’ll be explaining to you why this is the case. On top of this, I’ve got some gap year internship ideas for you that might be something that interests you and that looks good on your resume.

Why you should do an internship during your gap year

Maybe you imagine yourself working all year, or perhaps you want to just travel and have some fun, but it’s a better idea to put all that time into an internship. It will be more fun than working and a lot more productive than just traveling. But there are more reasons why you should definitely opt for an internship gap year.

Standout During College Application

Gap Year internships enhance your profile and increase your chances to secure admissions into top universities and colleges. According to Cornell University, Gap Year improves your credentials and prepares you for life in academia. It is a time to confirm your career decisions and press for an experience that positions you to understand the world and make sound arguements

A good traveling opportunity

First of all, doing an internship doesn’t mean that you can’t travel. How about following an internship abroad? For eample, You could live in China for an entire year if you wanted to! This means that you can still see the world and have a lot of fun, while you can still do something that is going to help your future.

Work Experience

Further on, having work experience will look incredibly good on your resume once you start looking for jobs. In today’s world, it’s no longer enough to have had a good education, they want to see more, and having work experience in a relevant industry is just what they’re looking for.

On top of these work skills being appealing to future employers, they will also be helpful to you. You’ll be much better able to thrive in your first job when you’ve had some work experience and know how the industry works. Even when you end up working in a different industry you’ll surely have learned some skills that are applicable in each work situation – think of time management, for example.

New Skills including Language

If you are indeed going to follow an internship abroad then you can add even more life skills to the list. You can learn more about a different culture, how to adapt to a new situation, how to live on your own. All of these are valuable skills for your future. And if having done an internship gap year didn’t already look good enough on your resume, then having done an internship gap year abroad surely does. You will also pick a new language by connecting with locals. There are also some programs that combine Language Programs with Internships. You can read more about our Chinese Language Gap Year

Cost-effectiveness

An internship gap year is also a lot cheaper than traveling all year. You might even be lucky and have the possibility of following an internship that will also pay you. If you’re staying at home, then you will be able to make money during the year while also gaining work experience and having a lot of fun.

Are you interested yet? One place to find various options for internship gap years abroad is this website. Over here you’ll find many options from business experience in New York to Environmental conservation in Costa Rica.

Convincing your Parents

Your parents are worried about your security, especially when they know you want to take an internship abroad. For them, this means they can’t help you at the very moment you are in trouble. So their negative reaction to your decision of a gap year abroad is just for your safety. There are certain actions you can take to convince them.

Tell them in advance

If you sit and talk to your parents way before finding an internship and applying for it, they will have more time to digest the information and become comfortable with it. This will make them more supportive and they won’t feel upset you share this kind of an important decision at the very last moment.

Involve them in the decision-making process

To convince them you are going to be safe, involve them in the decision-making process – which country is safer, which city will have the best food, weather, etc. This will be beneficial for both parties – your parents will share part of the research you have to do and might even find something better than you did. This will be good teamwork and your family will be excited to find the safest and the fittest internship opportunity abroad for you.

Have family time more often

Now that they are already involved in finding an internship abroad process with you, it’s high time to have family gatherings, speak about different topics, understand their expectations from you while you are abroad – would they like you to call them every day, send you images of all the places you have visited?

Remember that wherever you go, family is very important and nobody is going to care about you as much as they do. So, even if you are having the best friends, the best environment, always make sure to check the well-being of your parents and tell them everything’s ok for you.

The options for an internship gap year

You can follow internships in almost all areas, but there are a couple of ways for you to find these internship gap years. The first one we’ll be mentioning is kind of an odd one out, it is more of a job than an internship but I thought it was still worth mentioning.

The first option you have is becoming an AU-pair. This allows you to travel and work abroad while gaining experience that will surely be relevant if you ever want to work with children. You’ll earn money and get the chance to really experience a new culture, it’s something that I can recommend to everyone. If you want to learn more about being an AU-pair then you should definitely read this article.

Another option would be to join an arranged internship program like the ones you can find on this website. This means that you’ll be paying money for your internship, but this often isn’t a big sum and everything is arranged for you. All you need to do is go there. It’s a lot easier to arrange than doing everything by yourself, but if you want to be truly independent then this may not be the best option for you. There are a lot of options though, and you’ll be able to experience some amazing things, so I would at least take another look at it.

The last way is what I’ll be elaborating on in the next paragraph, and it’s basically arranging your own internship gap year. You contact the company yourself, you arrange your accommodation and take care of the entire ordeal. This will make you a lot more responsible and will give you the option to tailor the experience to your likings completely. And, if you’re able to find a paid internship, it will also cost you a lot less money, especially when you’re not going abroad.

Finding an internship for your gap year

If you are planning to write the book yourself then you have a lot of work on your hands, but the first step is finding an internship that you can follow for an entire year. This is what I’ve got some tips for, so read along if you want to find your own internship for your gap year. You might also consider a Gap Year in China on top of other destinations

The first tip is something that may seem incredibly obvious to you, but it’s that you should start in time, way ahead of time actually. Half a year may sound like a long time, but it’s gone sooner than you think. 6 months is a good amount of time for you to find the internship and plan everything around it, so I would opt for something like that.

Then you want to start using your network to find people that might be able to land you the internship that you’ve been dreaming about. When you’re in university then there are certain to be professors who have ties to companies that might be looking for interns. It’s important to ask everyone you know, from other students to relatives. You never know who’s going to come up with the best idea for your internship gap year.

When you’ve gathered some options it’s time to perfect your resume and write some letters to the companies. It may take some tries before you find a company that wants to hire you, but there is certainly one company that will hire you. If you’re sending letters and resumes abroad then make sure to tailor them to meet the standards for resumes and letters in the country you’re sending it to. You should also try to convince them of the fact that your skills are an asset to their company, you might even want to get your letter checked by a professor before you send it off.

Hopefully for you, one of the companies that you’ve sent a letter to will respond and you’ll have your internship settled, this is when it becomes time for all the other matters. You want to make sure that your visa is in order when you are traveling to a country for which this is necessary.

You also need to make sure that you have a place to sleep while you’re on your internship. There are various options for this, you could book yourself an apartment for the time you’re there or you could stay with a host family if you really want to emerge into the culture. Perhaps you’re lucky and the company that you’ll be doing the internship at is going to arrange the accommodation for you.

Gap Year Internship Opportunities

Finding a gap year internship opportunity is time-consuming and requires lots of research.

Gap Year Internship in China – CIP – This a very comprehensive program designed for Gappers to experience China inside out. Combine internships, volunteer, travel, and language

Kaya Responsible Travel – they offer a wide range of volunteer and internship opportunities in Africa, Aisa and Latin America

EF English First – a good opportunity to teach English in China and be well-paid for the job you love.

Camp Canada – the agency is based both in the UK and in Canada. You can spend nine weeks or more working with children at an incredible Canadian summer camp

Camp America– it is a cultural exchange programme that gives young people just like you, the chance to participate in nine-week placements in the USA.

The China Teaching Experience – it is a TEFL-based, teaching abroad travel programme which offers graduates a ten-month English teaching experience across China.

BUNAC – they offer volunteering, internship and work experience worldwide.

Kiwi and Kiwi – they specialize in finding the best resort jobs in New Zealand

Financial Planning: (a very important topic)

Financial planning isn’t a step to forget, you need to be able to live comfortably while you’re doing your internship. For this, you’re going to need money, so it’s important to know what your expenses are going to be and how much you’ll be earning from the internship. Then you’ll be able to calculate how much money you need to save up for your gap year. Take into consideration that you need more than just food, you also want to have some money for doing fun things.

Scholarships

Crowdfunding

What you will be spending on? Accommodation, flight, Visa, Insurance, Food and transport

If you’ve got all of this settled then you’re all ready to go away on your gap year following an amazing internship. Of course, it’s important to earn some money and build your resume, but the most important thing about a gap year is that you’re going to do something that you love doing. Having fun and having awesome new experiences is what a gap year is all about, and you can have all these things while doing your internship. You do have to pick an internship that you’re going to love doing, otherwise, it’s not going to be a nice year at all.